The Spanish Prisoner (1997) – Corporate
intrigue, deception and betrayal surround the inventor of a
multi-million dollar process that everyone wants.
intrigue, deception and betrayal surround the inventor of a
multi-million dollar process that everyone wants.
Directed
by David Mamet Starring Steve Martin, Ben
Gazzara, Campbell Scott,
by David Mamet Starring Steve Martin, Ben
Gazzara, Campbell Scott,
Rebecca Pidgeon
Why
You Will Like It – a predictable mystery with a small surprise
at the end.
You Will Like It – a predictable mystery with a small surprise
at the end.
Mamet’s
reputation is built on the quality of his dialogue. I can not give
you a better example of that than the stunning work in “Glengarry Glen Ross”. The style is crisp and cynical and utterly brilliant.
reputation is built on the quality of his dialogue. I can not give
you a better example of that than the stunning work in “Glengarry Glen Ross”. The style is crisp and cynical and utterly brilliant.
Everything
that the dialogue in this movie isn’t. It was stunning how awkward
and artificial the script was. The longer I listened the more it
sounded like a theatrical experiment, some symbolic representation of
corporate ennui. What it was was tedious and off-putting.
that the dialogue in this movie isn’t. It was stunning how awkward
and artificial the script was. The longer I listened the more it
sounded like a theatrical experiment, some symbolic representation of
corporate ennui. What it was was tedious and off-putting.
The
rest of the movie wasn’t much better. The action was predictable.
As is too often the case with mysteries, the action was often
inexplicable. You watch Campbell Scott’s character Joe do things
that only an idiot would do. The first 30 minutes of the movie
return to the theme of how important it is that “the process” (it
appears to be some kind of mathematical formula, but it’s left
undefined) must be protected. The security of the process is
paramount. Nothing is more important than the security of the
process. Then at the slightest provocation, Joe takes THE ONLY COPY
OF THE PROCESS out of its safe and hands it over to pretty much
anyone who asks. There is a labyrinthine plot that swirls around
him, but even there you can see the next twist before it arrives.
Which robs most of the movie of any interest.
rest of the movie wasn’t much better. The action was predictable.
As is too often the case with mysteries, the action was often
inexplicable. You watch Campbell Scott’s character Joe do things
that only an idiot would do. The first 30 minutes of the movie
return to the theme of how important it is that “the process” (it
appears to be some kind of mathematical formula, but it’s left
undefined) must be protected. The security of the process is
paramount. Nothing is more important than the security of the
process. Then at the slightest provocation, Joe takes THE ONLY COPY
OF THE PROCESS out of its safe and hands it over to pretty much
anyone who asks. There is a labyrinthine plot that swirls around
him, but even there you can see the next twist before it arrives.
Which robs most of the movie of any interest.
So
does anything work here? Not much. The cast is stuck with these
bizarre, stiff conversations. Which means Rebecca Pidgeon’s
character veers from slightly creepy to cute and back again. I was
never sure what was going on there. You have to assume that Joe
hasn’t had a girlfriend in a long time given his instant acceptance
of her inappropriate advances. Worthy of special notice is comedian
Steve Martin playing the villain. His work creates a subtly creepy
that Joe believes because he predicts a few things are about to
happen. By far the best work in the movie. Gazzara offers a solid,
if unoriginal, corporate boss.
does anything work here? Not much. The cast is stuck with these
bizarre, stiff conversations. Which means Rebecca Pidgeon’s
character veers from slightly creepy to cute and back again. I was
never sure what was going on there. You have to assume that Joe
hasn’t had a girlfriend in a long time given his instant acceptance
of her inappropriate advances. Worthy of special notice is comedian
Steve Martin playing the villain. His work creates a subtly creepy
that Joe believes because he predicts a few things are about to
happen. By far the best work in the movie. Gazzara offers a solid,
if unoriginal, corporate boss.
The
Spanish Prisoner isn’t a character but the name of a con game that
has been used for centuries.
Spanish Prisoner isn’t a character but the name of a con game that
has been used for centuries.
I
went back and forth on whether this movie’s ending allows it to
squeak into a three star rating. There is a bit of a surprise there,
it’s the only twist I didn’t see coming. But this is strictly a
“Wait till you find it on TV” kind of movie. So that settles the
question for me.
went back and forth on whether this movie’s ending allows it to
squeak into a three star rating. There is a bit of a surprise there,
it’s the only twist I didn’t see coming. But this is strictly a
“Wait till you find it on TV” kind of movie. So that settles the
question for me.
Rating
– ** Not Impressed
– ** Not Impressed
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